Frame supporting and operating mechanism



Jan. I0, 1928.

A. H. STEBBINS FRAME SUPPORTING AND OPERATING MECHANISM Filed April 30, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

/NVEN R A 7'TORN5Y Patented Jan. 10, 1928. I

UNITED- sr-ATEs ALnnRrH. srnsnms, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

, FRAME SUPPORTING AND OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed April 30, 1926. SerialNo. 105,886.

. nis invention relates to means for supporting a frame for vibratory movement, and also to means for moving the frame back and forth to vibrate the same.

Concentrator decks and" screens are he quently. supported for vibratory movement by pivoted arms tl.irough which the deck or screen frame is suspendedfrom a supporting structure. This type, of supporting means is employed because as the pivoted arms rock through the arc of a circle they impart an Lip-throw movement to the frame they support, and thisup-throw movement is desirable because. it promotes the travel 1' of the materials being treated along themamaterial SLlPPOItlllg surface. The bearings or pivot points of these rocking arms, however, tend towear out rapidly, due largely to the presence of dirt and dust about the machines, and they require frequent lubrication.

One of the features of the present invention therefore resides in a novel cable construction for. suspending a deck, screen or other frame to be vibrated so that as the frame is moved back and forth the cables impart a rising and falling; or up-throw movement to the frame. These supporting cables have the advantage that they do not need to be lubricated, and they are not injured by the dirt and dust that may lodge onthe cables and their bearing surfaces.

Another feature of, the invention resides in the arrangement whereby the frame supporting cables are caused to wind upon and unwind from bearing blocks as the frame they support is moved back and forth, and

, as a result of this construction a greater up-throw movement may be imparted to the frame than can be secured through the use of the rocking arms employed heretofore The use of cables for supporting a vibratory frame for back andforth' movement in accordance with the present invention hasthe further advantage, in that the active length of each supporting cable may be readily varied tocause the same to properly support the portion of the frame to which' it is connected.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the construction whereby a'ca'ble is employed to move the frame back and forth, and. in the connections between the frame and operating cable whereby the frame is relieved from the tensioning pull to which the cable is subjected. In accordance with the present invention the pull of the operatingcable is transmitted to the frame by two or more clamps that are secured to the franieiat spaced points lengthwise of. the same, and one of the clamps is constructed to grip the cable firmly so that it cannot slip through the clamp, while the other clamps frictionally engage the cable so that they impart the movement of the cable to the frame but at the same time permit any slack in the cable to be drawn through the clamps. As a result of this construction theframe is, relieved from the tensioning pull is subjected. I

The foregoing features of the present invention may be employed to support and vibrate a concentrator deck or screen, but they are particularly well adapted to support and operate relatively long conveyors, b cause the up-throw movement developed by the frame supporting cables helps to advance the materials along the conveyor, while the connections between the operating cable and conveyor will relieve the latter from excessive strains. o

Other features of the invention and novel combination of. parts in. addition-to the above will be hereinafter described in con to which the operating cable nection with the accompanying drawings,

which illustrate good practical forms of the Fig. 2 is an end view looking f at the right-hand end of the conveyor of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 011 anenlarged scale is a side view of that portion ofthe conveyor of Fig. I which is provided with thetight clamp adjacent the left-hand end of the conveyor.

Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale is a side view of the base plate of the clamp shown in Fig. 3, the cover plate being omitted; N

Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 4, but shows the cover plate in place; i I

Fig. 6 on an enlarged scale is a perspective 'view looking at the right-hand end of the conveyor of Fin. '1:

Fig. 7 isa side view of a modified arrangement of oneof the cable supportsand shows one of the semi-tight "able clamps; and I "Flor. 8 1s an end view of parts shown in Fig. 7.

The novel features forming the subjec matter of the present invention have been shownin the drawings as associated with a vibratory conveyor for advancing materials lengthwise of the same; it will be understood, however, that the features of the present invention are well adapted for use in connection with concentrator decks, screens, frames and other devices which employ a vibratory movement.

The frame supporting structure from which the frame or conveyor is suspended may be formed in various ways and is shown in the drawings as comprising a cage formed of the spaced lower channel irons 10 to which the uprights 11 are secured, and the upper ends of these uprights are fastened to horizontally extending rails 12. This entire cage is rigidly secured to the vertically disposed beams 13, and the inclined braces 14 are provided which extend clownwardly from the beams 13 to the outer rails 12,as will be apparent from Fi g. 6.

*The conveyor which is suspended within this hollow cage may have the form of a trough, and is conveniently formed of sheet metal having the bottom or floor 15 and the side walls'lo, and this sheet metal trough may be strengthened by securing thereto the side rails 17 to which the uprights 18 are fastened.

' It is assumed that the conveyor is operated to advance the materials lengthwise of the same toward its right-hand end, asindicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 1. The means for supporting the conveyor is therefore constructed to .cooperate with the movement imparted to the frame so that this combined action'will promote the travel of the materials along the conveyor in the direction indicated by the arrow.

As stated, one of the features of the present invention resides in the means for supporting the conveyor or frame for back and forth or vibratory movement, and to this end theconveyor trough 15 is supported at any desired number of points by the cables, straps, or chains 19. The supporting elements 19 are shown and described as consisting of cables, but it will be understood that other flexible supporting means such as straps and chains may be employed in place of the cable- The term cable as used in the claims to designate the elements 19 should therefore be construed as covering not only cables, but equivalent flexible elements.

In accordance with the present invention the lower end of each of the cables 19 is -bent' around a curved bearing block 20,

which preferably 'has a cable receiving groove formed in 7 its lower face. These bearing blocks are rigidly, secured to the side plates 18 of the conveyor trough by bolts 21, and one end of each of the cables 19 is firmly secured to the bearing block 20 by a clamp 22. Each cable 19 extends upwardly from its bearing block 20 to a bearing block 23 which is rigidly secured to a side rail 12 of the supporting cage. The bearing blocks 23, like the bearing blocks 20, are provided with cable receiving grooves, and it is desirable that means be provided for adjusting the effective length of each of the supporting cables 19. To this end, in the construction shown, each bearing block 23 is provided with an upwardly extending lug 2-through which a hole is formed, and in thishole is mounted a threaded pipe 25 which is leaded or otherwise secured to the upper end of the cable 19. The nuts 26 having threaded engagement with the pipes 25 may be adjusted as desired to vary the effective length oi the cables 19.

The arrangement of the bearing blocks 20 and 23 as shown in Figs. 1 2, 8, and 6-is such that as the trough or conveyor 15 is moved in a right-hand direction the'lower portion of the cable 19 will wrap about its bearing block 20, while the upper portion of the cable 19 will likewise wrap about its bearing block 23; As a result ofthe wrapping ot the cable 19 about both of the bearing locks as the trough 15 moves in a righthand direction, and an unwrapping of the cable 19 from both of its bearing blocks as the trough moves in a left-hand direction, the supporting cables will impart a pronounced rising and falling movement to the trough 15 as it moves back and forth through a path of travel lying to the right hand side of the vertical position in which the cable 19 is shown. That is, if the means which will presently be described for vibrating the trougl' 15, is adjusted so that the path of movement through which the trough is vibrated lies entirely'or nearly entirely to the right. of the vertical position in which the cables 19 are shown, then the wrapping etiect of these cables will impart a pronounced rising or upthrow movement to the trough 15. This Lip-thrown movement, which is most pronounced at the end of the stroke in a right-hand direction, is desirable because it imparts a tossing movement to the materials which promotes their travel lengthwise of the trough in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

The arran ement of the supporting cables 19 just described is desirableif a pronounced upthrow movement is to be imparted to the conveyor or other device as it approaches the end of its stroke in a right-hand direction, but in some devices it may be desirable to employ the supporting cables 19 without imparting a substantial up-throw movement to the conveyor or the like. In such case the position of the blocks 20 and 23 about which the cables wind may be reversed as shown in Fig. 7, wherein it will be noted that the blocks are arranged so that as the trough 15 is moved in a right-hand direction Jill] the cable 19 will unwrap from both the lower block 20 and the upper block 23, and will wrap about both'of these blocks as the trough moves in a left-hand direction. of this modified arrangement of Fig.7 the rising movement imparted to theconveyor 15 as it moves in a right-hand direction will be much less than that produced by the cablesupporting structure of- Figs. 1 and 3.

As above stated the present invention relates not only to novel means for supporting a conveyor or frame for vibratory movement, but is directedalso to novel meansfor moving the frame back and forth in the direction of its length, and the means shown to thisend will now be described. In order to cause the materials to travel lengthwise of the trough or supporting frame, the material supporting surface mustbe held at a substantially downward slope in the directionin which the materials are to travel, or a pronounced progressive'vibratory movement must be imparted to the material supporting surface to advance the materials along this surface. The. vibratory movement commonly imparted to a vibratory frame may be 'of such strength that it places a pronounced strain upon the frame which is being vibrated, and in order to relieve the material supporting frame from this strain the present invention contemplates an arrangement whereby one or more operating cables 27 areprovided. These cables extend lengthwise of the conveyor or frame, and

they are preferably secured to the frame to be vibrated at a plurality of points lengthwise ofthe frame, the arrangement being suchthat the tensional pull exerted upon the operating cables 27 to move themback and forth is not imparted to the vibratory frame.

In the construction shown two operating cables 27 are provided, one being disposed at eachsideof the conveyor or trough 15.

' Each of these cables is rigidly secured to the trough 15 at a point near the left-hand end of the trough by the cable gripping clamp 28 which is formed of a base plate 29 and a cap plate 80, and these two plates are. secured to the portion 18 of the trough by the clamping bolts 31. The construction of the clamp '28 is such that the cable 27 can not slip therethrough and the clamp is therefore provided with a serpentine groove which is formed sothat a pronounced bendwill be imparted to the cable lying in this grooveyas will. be apparent from Fig; 1, wherein it will be seenthat the cable is bent around the side lugs'32 and an intermediate lug 33. The

plates '29 and 30, which may be similar in construction, are held in clamping engagement with the cable 27 the bolts 31 which pass through the bolt holes 34.

It is apparent that if eachof the operating cables 27 should be secured to the trough 15 j As a result byseveral clamps each having the construction ofthe clamp 28, the cable would notbe permitted to slip through these clamps, even if slack should occur in the cable between the spaced clamps. Under this condition a pro nounced pull upon the cable 27 would exert an excessive displacing pull upon the clamps. To avoid this condition the present invention contemplates a construction whereby each cable 27 is rigidly connected to the trough'15 by a tight clamp 28, and in addition to this each cable is connected to the trough 15 at additional points by-the-semitight clamps35 which, it' will be noted, differ in construction from the clamp 28 in that they impart onl a slightbend to the portion of thecable which is gripped between the base plate 36 and cap plate 37. Thelconstruction, of the clamps 35 should be such that they will grip the operating cables 27 with sufiicient friction to impart'the movement of the cable to the portion'of the trough 15 to which they are secured, while at the same time they will permit any slack which may occur in the cables to be drawn through the semi-tight clamps As a result of this construction the pull exerted upon the cables 27to move the same back and forth is imparted to the conveyor 15, whileat the same time the conveyor is a result permit a reduction in weight and in the strength of the conveyor 15 or other frame which is operated in accordance with the present invention.

The means employed for pulling the cables 27 back 'andforth might be variously con stru'cted,'and in the arrangement shown in the drawings the right-hand end of each cable 27 passes downwardly about a grooved sheave 38which is supported by the transverselyextending shaft 39 the ends of which are supported by hearing brackets. 40 secured to the channel irons 10, and the downwardly extending end of each of thesecables is secured to a coiled spring 41. A nut 42 mounted upon the pipe or bolt 13 secured to the lower end of the cable may be adjusted to varythe tension of the spring 41 to thereby vary the pull which this spring exerts upon the cable to move the trough 15 in a right-hand direction.

The "means shown for pulling the cables 27 in a left-hand direction consists of the power shaft 44which may be driven the usual pulley not shown, and upon thisshaft eccentrics rotate Within groovedsheaves 46 parted to the'cable will be equal to twice the throw of the eccentric 45, thus permitting the use of an eccentric which is offset only a slight amount from its operating shaft. It will be understood that the-tension of the spring 41 should be such that it Will impart a pull to the trough 15 which is quicker or more energetic than the pull which is imparted to this trough in a lefthand direction by the power operating eccentric. This is necessary in order to ad- Vance the materials lengthwise of the trough in the direction indicated by the arrow. It will be understood, however, that travel of the materials lengthwise of the trough in a right-hand direction is assisted by the upthrow movement which is given to the trough by the suspension cables 19.

What is claimed is 1. In combination with a frame supporting structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement in the direction of its length, means for vibrating the frame, comprising a cable extending Y lengthwise of the frame, means for pulling c the cable back and forth, a tight clamp secured to the frame and constructed to grip the cable so that it will not slip within the clamp, and a semi-tight clamp secured to, the

frame in spaced relation to the tight clamp and constructed to grip the cable with suflicient friction'to impart the pull of the cable to the frame while permitting the cable to be pulled through the clamp to take up slack. r 2. In combination with a frame support ing structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement, means'for vibrating the frame, comprising a cable eX- tending lengthwise of the frame, means for pulling the cable back and forth, and means for imparting the movement of the cable to the frame including a tightclamp secured to the frame and adapted to firmly grip the cable, and a semi-tight clamp secured to the frame and adapted to frictionally grip the cable to impart movement of the cable to the frame without preventing the slack in the cable from being drawn through the semi-tight clamp.

3. In combinationwith a frame supporting structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement, means for vibrating the frame, comprising a cable extending-lengthwise of the frame, means for pulling the'cable back and forth, and means for imparting the movement of the cable to the frame, including a plurality of cable engaging clamps disposed lengthwise of the frame, one of saidclamps being constructed to grip, the cable so that it cannot slip therethrough and the other clamps being constructed to grip the cable with sufficient friction to impart the pull of the cable to the clamp while permitting the slack in the cable to be drawn through these clamps.

i. In combination with a frame supporting structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement, means for vibrating the frame comprising cables extending lengthwise of the frame at the op posite sides thereof, means for pulling the cables back and forth, and means for imparting the movement of the cables to the frame, including a plurality of cable engaging clamps disposed lengthwise of the frame, one clamp for each cable being constructed to positively grip the cable so that it will not slip through the clamp and the other clamp being constructed to rip the cable with sufficient friction to impart the pull of the cable to the clamp while permitting the slack in the cable to be drawn through the clamp.

5. In combination with a frame support ing structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement, means for vibrating the frame, comprising a cable can tending lengthwise of the frame, means for pulling the cable back and forth, and clamps for connecting the frame to the cable at a multiplicity of points throughout the length of the frame and constructed to frictionally engage the cable to impart the movement of the cable to the frame without subjecting the frame to the tensioning pull to which the cable is subjected.

6. In combination with a frame supporting structure, a frame supported by said structure for vibratory movement, means for vibrating the frame, comprising a cable extending lengthwise of the frame, clamps for connecting the frame to the cable at a plurality of points lengthwise of the frame and constructed to frictionally engage the cable to impart the movement of the cable to the frame without subjecting the frame to the tensioning pull to whirh the cable is subjected, a spring for pulling the cable in one direction, and power actuated means for pulling the cable in the opposite direction.

7. In combination with a frame supporting structure, vibratory frame, cables for supporting tl e frame suspended from the supporting structure, rounded bearing blocks secured to the frame and supporting structure and each block having a cable receiving groove formed in its curved face, an-

' choring means for holding one end of each around its adjacent bearing block to thereby cable bent about a frame bearing block, vary the effective length of the frame supanchoring means for holding the other end porting cable. 1

of each cable bent about a supporting-struc- In testimony whereof, I have signed my 5 ture bearing block, and one of the anchoring name to this specification.

means for each cable being adjustable to I pull the cable in the direction of its length ALBERT H. STEBBINS. 

